Excreta bag



March 30, 1943.

c. K. BILLEB EXCRETA BAG Filed Sept. 5 1942 pwsmom cwwwm/ A 'T TORNEY Patented Mar. 30, 1943 EXCRETA BAG Clyde K. Billeb, Shorewood, Wis., assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application September 5, 1942, Serial No. 457,463

6 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of sanitation, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of sanitary receptacles for disposing of human excretion or the like in cases of emergency.

Generally defined, an object of the invention is to provide an improved excreta receptacle which is simple and durable in construction, and which is also efi'icient and sanitary in use.

Various kinds of emergency receptacles intended for the purpose of receiving and confining human excretions 'or other waste materials during emergencies, have heretofore been proposed, but all of these prior devices have been objectionable for some reason or another. Such receptacles should be neatly foldable or collapsible into fiat condition before being used, in order to permit compact stacking and storage thereof within limited spaces. They should also be readily distendable and substantially self-sustaining when expanded, but preferably additionally provided with suspension means at the top. These receptacles must furthermore be relatively liquid impervious so as to properly retain the deposits therein; and since they are disposed of or destroyed after use, this type of appliance should also be relatively inexpensive so as to place the same within reach of the general public. Excreta bags of this kind are also preferably provided with liquid absorbent material in some form in order to retain the liquid or moisture content of the substances deposited therein, within the receptacles when they are finally collapsed and. rolled up after usage thereof; and while it has previously been proposed to place a batch of such absorbent material within each receptacle just prior to use, these batches of the substance could not be confined within the containers prior to use and while the bags were compactly stacked because the porous material would become compressed and matted to such an extent that it would not subsequently effectively absorb the liquid.

It is therefore a more specific object of my present invention to provide an improved excretion receptacle which embodies all of the above mentioned desirable features, and which is provided with internal liquid absorbent material permanently applied in a manner whereby the absorbent qualities of the substance are not undesirably affected by collapse and stacking of the container.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide a new and useful excreta bag formed of relatively inexpensive material and eifectively lined with liquid impervious and moisture absorbent linings, and which may be conveniently collapsed for stacking and distended for normal use.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide an improved waste receptacle adapted to eifectively retain and confine moist and fluent substances deposited therein, and which is sufliciently rigid to be used as a self-sustained unit but isalso adapted to be suspended from above.

Still another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved relatively impervious excretion confining bag, which may be manufactured at moderate cost-and which is also highly flexible in its adaptations.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting the present improvement, and of the construction and mode of utilizing excreta bags embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the improved excreta bags, showing the same in collapsed condition and with portions broken away so as to reveal normally concealed parts;

Fig. '2 is a side view of the collapsed bag of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through one of the bags in partially distended or expanded condition; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the fully distended bags with the upper suspension flanges foldedcutwardly, the View being taken looking into the open top of the receptacle.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to a bag of a particular size and shape adapted to be folded or collapsed in a particular manner, it is not my desire or intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement.

Referring to the drawing, the improved excreta receptacle shown therein by way of illustration, comprises in general an outer collapsible bag 6 having a flat rectangular bottom 1, side and end walls.8, 9 foldably connected to thebottom l, and closure and suspension flaps or flanges l0 foldably associated with the upper ends of the walls 8, 9; an innermost lining ll of relatively porous liquid absorbent material covering approximately the entire interior of the bag 6 and adjoining portions of the flanges l; an intermediate or intervening lining ll of relatively liquid impervious material disposed between the interior of the bag 6 and the absorbent lining II; and a tie-band or cord l3 secured at its medial portion to one of the flanges Ill near the top of the bag 6.

The main or outer bag 6 of the composite receptacle may be formed of relatively strong and comparatively heavy sheet material such as manilla or kraft paper, and these bags 6 may be formed from standard collapsible manila containers by merely slitting the mouth portions thereof so as to produce the flaps or flanges I'll. These outer bags 6 may be provided with a coating or impregnated with moisture resistant material, but need not be waterproof; and the outer fold portions of the bags 6 are preferably reenforced near the adjacent inner ends of the successive slits and flanges ID, by means of reenforcing strips [4 of Scotch tape or the like, see Figs. 1 and 2. The closure and suspension flaps or flanges Ill are relatively flexible so that they may be readily folded outwardly away from the top opening of the bag 6 as in Fig. 4, or rolled about the container to provide a closure when the bag has been loaded with material; and. the

tie-cord [3 may be a band or string of any suit- 0 able material secured to the adjacent flap In by means of another piece of tape I5 or the like.

The intervening direct lining I2 for the outer bag 6 is preferably formed of relatively liquid impervious sheet material such as regenerated cellulose or rubber compound sheet material, known commercially as Cellophane and Pliofilm respectively; and these liner bags [2 may be pre-formed to snugly coact with the interiors of the outer bags 6 and may be permanently secured to the outer bag flanges ll! along adhesive areas it, or with the aid of adhesive tape coacting with the upper edge portions of the intermediate liners l2. The innermost absorbent liner ll may be formed of any suitable highly absorbent material laid in sheet form against the entire inner surface of the intermediate liner l2, and this inner liner ll may be secured to all portions of the interior of the impervious liner bag 'or to'local areas thereof, with the aid of suitable adhesive so as to retain the two liners II, 12 in proper relative position at all times. While the liner I2 is relatively tough but thin and flexible, the innermost liner II is comparatively thick and of low tensile strength, but the two liner sheets cooperate to provide a durable composite liner bag capable of absorbing moistur'e while preventing escape thereof, and also capable of being folded and unfolded without displacing the porous and weak inner absorbent liner H and permitting undesirable packing or matting of the material.

' When the improved excreta. receptacles have been properly constructed and assembled as above described, they may be collapsed into flat condition as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and they may then be readily stacked in neat and compact formation for storage or shipment by merely reversing the alternate receptacles and piling the same upon each other. The improved bag assemblages may be conveniently opened or distended as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to cause the side and end Walls 8, 9 to stand approximately erect relative to the rectangular flat bottom I, and the flap flanges I0 may then'be folded outwardly as in Fig. 4 to free the upper bag opening from obstruction. While the composite walls 8, 9 when distended, are stiif enough to make the container self-sustaining, the flanges I0 may if desired, be used as an effective suspension means by inserting these flaps between the bowl rim and seat of an ordinary toilet, or by otherwise clamping these flanges Ill. After the receptacles have been used, the flap flanges [0 may be folded together as illustrated in Fig. 3, and they may subsequently be rolled or folded about the exterior of the bag 6 and tied in closed position with the aid of the cord I3. The waste laden package may thereafter be disposed of as desired, by burning or otherwise; and if so desired, antiseptic substance may also be applied to the interior lining II.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved excreta bag assemblage which is simple, compact and durable in construction, and which is also highly eiflcient and flexible in use. The improved structure can obviously be readily manufactured from available and relatively standard materials, .and is extremely sanitary since the intermediate liner l2 prevents undesirable or objectionable escape of liquid, while the innermost liner ll quickly absorbs the moisture and protects the impervious liner 12 against detrimental effects thereof. The provision of this inner absorbent liner l2 in the form of a layer or sheet, also permits folding and stacking of the bag assemblages without undesirably compressing or matting the absorbent material, and avoids necessity of providing a separate supply of this relatively bulky material as with the prior assemblages or toilet appliances. The segregation of the suspension means into several independent flanges IU capable of being overlapped and neatly rolled or folded about the package, is also important since it provides for convenient and tight sealing of the waste laden bag 6. The use of the re-enforcing strips !4 at the inner ends of the flap forming slits is also desirable in order to avoid tearing of the bag when the receptacle is opened or suspended from above, and the improved excreta bag has proven highly efiicient and satisfactory in actual use. The improved bag assemblages can be produced in quantity at relatively low cost, and are adapted for use anywhere in cases where regular toilets are not available, or are temporarily disabled. By forming the outer bag 6 of manila or kraft paper a very strong assemblage results, and the liquid absorbent lining II reduces the excretion to a pulp and retards the activity thereof while also preventing undue escape of moisture even if the liquid impervious intermediate liner [2 and the main bag 6 should be ripped or slightly broken. This relatively stiff material used in the formation of the outer bag 6, also aids the folds or creases at the ends and corners of the receptacle, in maintaining the structure in distended and self-sustaining condition, so that the assemblage may actually be used either with or without the aid of the suspension flanges Ii].

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may ocour to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer approximately rectangular bag, an innermost 1ining of liquid absorbent material covering approximately the entire interior of said bag, and an intervening lining of relatively liquid impervious material disposed between said bag and said absorbent lining, said bag and linings being scored along definite lines to permit the assemblage to be collapsed into flat condition.

2. An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer approximately rectangular bag, an innermost lining of liquid absorbent material covering approximately the entir interior of said bag, and an intervening lining of relatively liquid impervious material disposed between said bag and said absorbent lining, said bag and linings being scored along definite lines to permit the assemblage to be collapsed into flat condition and also being substantially self-sustaining in prismatic formation when distended.

3. .An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer collapsible and distendible approximately rectangular bag having several outwardly foldable suspension flanges at its open end, and an inner lining of liquid absorbent sheet material covering approximately the entire interior of said bag and portions of said flanges adjoining the bag, said flanges being foldable about the body of the bag when the structure is collapsed.

4. An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer collapsible and distendible approximately rectangular bag having several outwardly foldable suspension flanges at its open end, an innermost lining of liquid absorbent sheet material covering approximately the entire interior of said bag and portions of said flanges adjoining the bag, and an intervening lining of relatively liquid impervious material interposed between said bag and said absorbent lining, said absorbent lining being secured to said intervening lining and the latter being secured to said flanges near the open end of said bag, and said flanges being foldable about the bottom of the bag when the structure is collapsed.

5. An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer collapsible and distendible approximately rectangular bag having several outwardly foldable suspension flanges at its open end, an inner lining of liquid absorbent sheet material covering approximately the entire interior of said bag and portions of said flanges adjoining the bag, and re-enforcing strips co-acting with the corners of said bag near the adjacent portions of the successive flanges.

6. An excreta receptacle comprising, an outer collapsible and distendible approximately rectangular bag having several segregated outwardly f-oldable suspension flanges at its open end, an innermost lining of liquid absorbent sheet material covering approximately the entire interior of said bag and portions of said flanges adjoining the bag, and an intervening lining of relatively liquid impervious material interposed between said bag and said absorbent lining, said flanges being superimposable an foldable about the bag bottom when the structure is collapsed.

CLYDE K. BILLEB. 

